Tex. Prop. Code Ann. §§ 92.001–92.355 § 92.161
COMPLIANCE WITH TENANT REQUEST REQUIRED WITHIN REASONABLE TIME.
Operative Text
Sec. 92.161. COMPLIANCE WITH TENANT REQUEST REQUIRED WITHIN REASONABLE TIME. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), a landlord must comply with a tenant's request for rekeying, changing, installing, repairing, or replacing a security device under Section 92.156, 92.157, or 92.158 within a reasonable time. A reasonable time for purposes of this subsection is presumed to be not later than the seventh day after the date the request is received by the landlord.(b) If within the time allowed under Section 92.162(c) a landlord requests advance payment of charges that the landlord is entitled to collect under that section, the landlord shall comply with a tenant's request under Section 92.156(b), 92.157(a), or 92.157(b) within a reasonable time. A reasonable time for purposes of this subsection is presumed to be not later than the seventh day after the date a tenant's advance payment is received by the landlord, except as provided by Subsection (c).(c) A reasonable time for purposes of Subsections (a) and (b) is presumed to be not later than 72 hours after the time of receipt of the tenant's request and any required advance payment if at the time of making the request the tenant informed the landlord that:(1) an unauthorized entry occurred or was attempted in the tenant's dwelling;(2) an unauthorized entry occurred or was attempted in another unit in the multiunit complex in which the tenant's dwelling is located during the two months preceding the date of the request; or(3) a crime of personal violence occurred in the multiunit complex in which the tenant's dwelling is located during the two months preceding the date of the request.(d) A landlord may rebut the presumption provided by Subsection (a) or (b) if despite the diligence of the landlord:(1) the landlord did not know of the tenant's request, without the fault of the landlord;(2) materials, labor, or utilities were unavailable; or(3) a delay was caused by circumstances beyond the landlord's control, including the illness or death of the landlord or a member of the landlord's immediate family.(e) This section does not apply to a landlord's duty to install or rekey, without necessity of a tenant's request, a security device under Section 92.153 or 92.156(a). Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 357, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Texas Property Code § 92.161 establishes the timeframes within which a landlord must respond to a tenant's request to rekey, change, install, repair, or replace a security device. Under the general rule, a landlord is presumed to have a 'reasonable time'—no more than seven days after receiving the request—to complete the work. That window tightens to 72 hours when the tenant notifies the landlord of an unauthorized entry, an attempted entry, or a crime of personal violence at the property within the preceding two months. Landlords may rebut the presumption of unreasonable delay if circumstances such as unavailable materials or events beyond their control caused the holdup.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.161 generally document the date and time they receive any tenant security-device request, since the seven-day presumptive deadline begins running from that moment. When a tenant's request is accompanied by a report of an unauthorized entry, attempted entry, or nearby crime of personal violence within the past two months, compliant operators treat the response window as 72 hours rather than seven days. Operators who face genuine obstacles—such as unavailable parts or a family emergency—typically keep records of those circumstances, as § 92.161(d) allows a landlord to rebut the presumption of non-compliance when delays stem from factors outside the landlord's control.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.161, tenants have a right to have security-device requests addressed within a presumed seven-day window, or within 72 hours if the tenant notified the landlord of an unauthorized entry, attempted entry, or a crime of personal violence at the complex in the prior two months. If a landlord does not act within the applicable timeframe, tenants may have remedies available under the broader Texas Property Code security-device provisions, which can include lease termination rights, rent deductions, or civil action depending on the circumstances. Tenant-rights organizations in Texas can help explain which remedies may apply to a given situation, and consulting one is a common first step when a landlord appears to be out of compliance with § 92.161.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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